New Name & New Future

On December 2nd, 2010 the University of Toronto announced that Dr. Eric Jackman had donated $5 million to the Institute of Child Study – the largest gift in Canada for early development and childhood education.

“Dr. Jackman’s gift demonstrates his firm belief in the Institute’s unique and integrated approach to the study of human development, family dynamics and childhood education,” said U of T President David Naylor. “We are already a leader in this area. With Eric Jackman’s support, we can build on these strong foundations, continue to innovate, and develop best practices that will improve outcomes of early childhood education for children and families everywhere.”

Founded in 1925-26, the Institute and its Lab School have exerted a profound influence on early education. ICS research led directly to the adoption of the Ontario Day Nurseries Act in 1942. Almost 70 years later, the Institute continues to lead the way. Ontario’s recently-announced Full-Day Early Learning Kindergarten program was modeled in large part on Institute findings and recommendations.

“I am pleased to be able to make a financial contribution to one of my lifelong interests – the understanding of early human development, and to enlightening educators and parents alike to the very best child-rearing and educational practices,” said Dr. Eric Jackman. “I believe that supporting the Institute, one of the original child study centres in North America with which I

have a personal connection, will enhance our knowledge of how we develop and learn.”

After completing his B.A. and M.A. at U of T, Eric Jackman earned a doctoral degree in human development and psychology at the University of Chicago, where he did early field work at the University of Chicago Laboratory School. Dr. Jackman was an award-winning clinical psychologist in the United States before returning to Toronto, and currently serves as President of the Psychology Foundation of Canada. Dr. Jackman is Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Windsor. Among his many honours are the CMHA C.M. Hincks National Award for Mental Health, Canada’s 125th

Anniversary Commemorative Medal, Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee Medal, the Order of Ontario, and he has been recognized by three Ontario universities with honorary doctor of laws degrees.

A community leader, Dr. Jackman, together with his wife Sara Jackman, has combined a passion for the arts and education with tireless dedication to family well-being. Dr. Eric Jackman and his three siblings – Chancellor Emeritus (U of T) Hal Jackman, the Rev. Edward Jackman and Senator Nancy Ruth – all attended what is now known as the ICS Lab School.

The renovated and expanded facility, centrally located, will allow the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study to open its doors to serve Toronto families for best-practice teaching and family learning; as well as welcome the broader education community and related disciplines.

Additional programming will be undertaken in partnership with governments, public school boards and professional and community agencies.

The Margaret and Wallace McCain Pavilion

At a reception on December 2nd honouring Dr. Eric Jackman at U of T’s Simcoe Hall, Dr. Jackman and David Palmer, U of T Vice President, Advancement, announced that Margaret and Wallace McCain are donating $3 million to the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study. The planned new wing, the Margaret and Wallace McCain Pavilion, is named for Margaret and Wallace McCain in recognition of their gift to the University. The McCain Pavilion will establish a centre of excellence offering professional, academic and family outreach programming and will serve to strengthen existing programming in the on-site graduate program, broaden research activities in the Dr. R.G.N. Laidlaw Centre, and provide a much-needed gymnasium for the Jackman Institute’s Laboratory School students in Nursery through Grade Six.

The Margaret and Wallace McCain Pavilion will face Spadina Road and feature a large multi-purpose auditorium/gymnasium, seminar rooms and modern classrooms. The Pavilion will be added to the back of the Institute’s Leighton G. McCarthy House (on Walmer Road).

The Hon. Margaret Norrie McCain, former Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, has been a powerful advocate for women’s rights and is a dedicated champion for early childhood development in Canada. In 1999, Mrs. McCain joined Dr. Fraser Mustard in co-authoring the

Margaret and Wallace McCain

Early Years Study; and in 2007 she co-authored the Early Years Study 2: Putting Science into Action. These two reports for Ontario describe what our society needs to effectively support young children and families. A renewed Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study is being expanded to address many of these needs and provide leadership for parents, teachers and other professionals.

We are absolutely thrilled with the coming together of Dr. Eric and Sara Jackman and Wallace and Margaret

McCain, with both families making unprecedented gifts to early human development and childhood education. This investment of a combined total of $8 million to the Institute’s Building Campaign is a tremendous vote of confidence for what the Jackman ICS can do to help optimize early development, parent support and childhood education. These two gifts bring us to $10.8 million raised to date, leaving just $1.2 million left to reach our goal of $12 million.